One of the most difficult aspects of performing in a long-running band is the ability to continue to produce fresh and captivating music. Only a precious few can achieve this and even less can maintain their previous quality or even outmatch it. Luckily for us, Hooded Menace is one of those exceptions that manages to surprise us with each subsequent album, entrancing us with their intoxicating brand of Death/Doom.
At this point, Hooded Menace feel like they have made a natural pivot over the years. While earlier albums explored the filthier and cavernous forms of Death/Doom such as Asphyx or Autopsy, the release of ‘Ossuarium Silhouttes Unhallowed’ felt like a detour into the wayward and desolate landscapes of the Peaceville Three. This was followed by ‘The Tritonus Bell’ which infused the flavourful leads of 80s Heavy Metal into their musical DNA. After a few spins, ‘Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration’ feels like the middle point of these two.
What makes Hooded Menace stand out in this field is their ability to form a synthesis between the two sides that tug at the heart of the genre. On the one hand, you have the sheer heaviness of the riffs hit and played at a crawling tempo. Guitarist Lasse does such a good job of crafting these hook-laden and crunchy guitar riffs that ensnare you. Corollary to these grooves is the beautiful guitar leads laid bare throughout the course of the whole record, creating this almost weeping sounding guitar tone. The solos are wild and almost take a life of their own with this almost shredding quality to them, not feeling out of place on a Motley Crue or WASP record. You also have thick, reverberating bass and some potent drumming with an incredible production job that gives the music this loud and bombastic quality to it.
In terms of atmosphere, it’s a whirlwind in the best of ways. You have the explosive and catchy feel of 80s Heavy Metal, the heaviness of Death Metal and the melancholic despair of Doom Metal. Aggression and sorrow all co-exist in one place within the quick change of a bridge. Just listen to the powerful ‘Portrait Without a Face’ which channels all the above in exemplary fashion, even sometimes hinting at some Post-Punk flourishes in the way the keyboards appear in the background; or when you are suddenly hit by a cello segment plays seamlessly along with the riffing.
A special mention must be made of Harri Kuokonen’s vocals, his tortured growls evoking pure gloom and anguish. We are even treated to some brief moments of clean singing in the closing opus ‘Into Haunted Oblivion’, as the man channels his inner Messiah here to showcase the Candlemass influence. In fact, one of my only critiques I’d have of this album is I crave more of these passages as it serves to give the album more dynamism.
Another showcase of the stellar musicianship here is with the rendition of Duran Duran’s ‘Save a Prayer’. Hooded Menace are no strangers to this as the past two albums have included their interpretations of classics by Celtic Frost (‘Sorrows of the Moon’) and WASP (‘The Torture Never Stops’). As with any excellent cover, it retains the spirit of the original but at the same time transforms it into a different being. They have kept the sad and almost Gothic feel of the original but wrapped in a blanket of heaviness and aggression.
Not every band can continue to release grand pieces of work after being together for so long, yet Hooded Menace find a way to do just that. The problem with modern Death/Doom is that sometimes bands forget either part of the equation, but that is not a problem with this Finnish trio. Their clever and wonderful blend of this genre with 80s Heavy Metal is one that deserves all the attention possible. By far one of the best records of 2025 and one that will likely be in constant rotation for me.
